Actions on Diabetes

When patients are involved in research, extraordinary things can be achieved. Actions on Diabetes shares the stories of Diabetes Action Canada researchers and Patient Partners as they work together to transform the lives of all Canadians with diabetes.

Patient Partnership in Clinical Trials 02/16/2024

Patient Partnership in Clinical Trials Clinical trials are the way we test new drugs or therapies on people, and they’re incredibly important to moving diabetes research forward. However, they can be challenging and complicated to develop and fund. That’s where the new Diabetes Clinical Trials Network in Canada comes in. This episode's guests are Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, who is leading this new Network. Dr. Gerstein is an endocrinologist and Professor at McMaster University and holds the Population Health Research Institute Chair in Diabetes. He is also Director of the Boris Clinic Diabetes Care and Research Program, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. We'll also be talking to Diabetes Action Canada’s Executive Director, Tracy McQuire, about why the organizations have partnered with a goal of improving the pathway to moving the best clinical trials in diabetes forward faster. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/29980298

Supporting the Mental Health Needs of People with Type 1 Diabetes 01/15/2024

Supporting the Mental Health Needs of People with Type 1 Diabetes Diabetes is a 24-hour condition with no vacations or days off. Those who live with it understand that diabetes distress – the term for mental health challenges specific to diabetes – is very real and can be very challenging to manage. It can also have a big impact on other aspects of diabetes care – like this A1Cs doctors are always checking. This episode's guests will give listeners lots to think about when it comes to diabetes and mental health – and how Diabetes Action Canada is at the forefront of new programs aimed at improving mental health in everyone with diabetes. Host Krista Lamb with talk to guests Dr. Carly Whitmore, an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University, and Linxi Mytkolli, Diabetes Action Canada’s Lead of Patient Engagement and Knowledge Mobilization and a person living with diabetes. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/29486033

Improving Access to Eye Screening for Newcomers to Canada 11/09/2023

Improving Access to Eye Screening for Newcomers to Canada Often newcomers don’t know about access to eye screening, or there are cultural or other barriers that aren’t being addressed. But early detection of diabetic retinopathy can save sight and have a huge impact on the overall health of a person. Today’s guests want to make sure those barriers are overcome. Host Krista Lamb talks to Dr. Joyce Dogba from the University of Laval and Patient Partner Pascual Delgado about their work on the Diabetes Action Canada Immigrant Patient Circle and on reducing barriers to care for all. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/28562624

Reshaping How we Research Type 1 Diabetes 06/07/2023

Reshaping How we Research Type 1 Diabetes On this episode of Actions on Diabetes, host Krista Lamb will be chatting with two guests who are looking at ways to improve the coordination of care for people living with type 1 diabetes. The Reshape T1D project tries to understand how people interact with the health care system by involving those living with T1D and their clinicians in designing the research process. Our guests are Jamie Boisvenue, a PhD student at the Alberta Diabetes Institute and the University of Alberta, and Patient Partner Kathleen Gibson. They are hoping to highlight have lived experience to help clinicians provide better patient-forward care. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/27072648

Health Coaching Program Research Project 03/20/2023

Health Coaching Program Research Project Host Krista Lamb talks with Dr. Diana Sherifali from McMaster University’s School of Nursing and Patient Partner Seeta Ramdass who are working together on a project aimed at using virtual health coaching to better support people living with type 2 diabetes. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/26285226

Islet Biologists Embrace Patient-Oriented Research 02/15/2023

Islet Biologists Embrace Patient-Oriented Research Think Patient Partners can't participate in discovery-level research? Think again! Host Krista Lamb talks with Dr. Rob Screaton from the University of Toronto, Patient Partner Zoe Hilton and trainee scientist Cassie Locatelli. These three guests are working on a project incorporating Patient Partners into an islet biology training program. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/25946118

Researching ways to manage hypoglycemia 08/31/2021

Researching ways to manage hypoglycemia On this episode Dr. Anne-Sophie Brazeau and Nathalie Kinnard discuss the BETTER registry and the research they are doing in Quebec to help people with T1D manage or prevent hypoglycemia. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/20273819

Reducing the Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy 08/11/2021

Reducing the Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy While people living with diabetes are at increased risk for diabetic retinopathy, they often face barriers to getting their eyes checked—or simply don’t know they need to go every year. In this episode, Malcolm Sissmore and Dr. Michael Brent from UHN Research discuss their work on Project OPEN, a research program that’s trying to make eye screening much more accessible for people living with diabetes. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/20098232

Using data to improve health care 07/26/2021

Using data to improve health care Using data to improve health care is an important area of research, especially since so many people don’t quite understand how and why it’s done. Guests Devin Cleary and Dr. Alanna Weisman discuss their research projects in this area - in particular how they are trying to improve outcomes for people with type 1 diabetes. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/19883312

Diabetes and Older Adults 07/12/2021

Diabetes and Older Adults Older adults often live with multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes. But they are rarely involved in research into how they are managing. At Diabetes Action Canada, the Aging, Community and Population team is working to change this. In this episode, Ron Beleno and Dr. Rebecca Gannan discuss their work on involving older adults and their caregivers in diabetes research. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/19739621

Diabetes in the South Asian Community 06/28/2021

Diabetes in the South Asian Community For years, we have heard that people from a South Asian background are more at risk for type 2 diabetes, but the reasons for why were never quite clear. And those that were suggested often fed into stereotypes. In this episode, Amina Khan and Dr. Ananya Banerjee talk about their work on a research program that’s shedding light on this issue and breaking down some of those stereotypes. Visit the to watch Beyond the Body and learn more. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/19572110

Diabetes and Homelessness 06/14/2021

Diabetes and Homelessness When we think about housing insecurity and homelessness, we don’t often consider what it’s like to manage a chronic illness on top of that. For many, however, the need to contend with diabetes and housing insecurity is very real. Anna DiGiandomenico and University of Calgary researcher Dr. David Campbell discuss their work on a research program that’s shedding light on this issue. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/19459826

Using Data to Change Lives 11/26/2020

Using Data to Change Lives Trying to figure out the needs of the diabetes community can be complicated – especially if we don’t have data to help us determine where the greatest need is or how current treatments are working. That’s where the Diabetes Action Canada National Diabetes Repository comes in. This resource helps bring administrative and medical record data from across Canada together in one place for the purpose of research. It’s also overseen by a group of dedicated patients determined that the information in the database is used in ways that patients understand and appreciate. Today, Kylie Peacock, a Diabetes Action Canada Patient Partner and Conrad Pow, a Senior Project Manager at Diabetes Action Canada discuss this resource and the roles they play in supporting it. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/16959221

Diabetes and Technology 11/12/2020

Diabetes and Technology Technology has changed so much about how diabetes is managed – especially for those with type 1. Now, as people with diabetes adapt to continuous glucose monitors and closed loop systems, there’s even more research being done on new treatments – and there’s a need to find those who will participate in clinical trials. In today's episode, Jen Hanson, Executive Director at Connected in Motion, and Dr. Shivani Goyal, Associate Director of Product at eHealth Innovation, discuss how technology is changing diabetes and the ways Diabetes Action Canada is ensuring patient voices are at the table. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/16779011

Amputation Prevention 10/29/2020

Amputation Prevention Amputation is one of the most feared complication of diabetes and preventive foot care can have an enormous impact on avoiding this outcome. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/16592324

Closed Loop Technolgies and the DIY Community 10/15/2020

Closed Loop Technolgies and the DIY Community Dr. Bruce Perkins and Patient Partner Kate Farnsworth discuss closed loop technologies for type 1 diabetes, and the DIY looping community. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/16408448

Respectful engagement of Indigenous Peoples in patient-oriented research 10/01/2020

Respectful engagement of Indigenous Peoples in patient-oriented research Sasha Delorme and Alex McComber discuss the Indigenous Patient Circle and the respectful engagement of Indigenous people in patient-oriented research. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/16222724

Patients as Research Partners 09/16/2020

Patients as Research Partners When research studies are designed, there is often a critical party absent from the table – patients. Dr. Holly Witteman and Patient Partner Dana Greenberg discuss the value of having patients involved in research design. /episode/index/show/diabetesactioncanada/id/16038725

Actions on Diabetes

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